Stronger together
by Lotto95
Summary: Bisexual Regina Mills week prompt three - Regina confronts homophobia. The time something positive comes out of a bad situation.


A/N: trigger warnings for a tiny bit of homophobia, but there's some swan queen and swan mills family fluff to make it better :)

* * *

All the colour had drained from Regina's face once she hangs up the phone. "We have to get to Henry's school," she says tightly, not making eye contact with Emma.

"Why?" she asks, already standing from the couch and grabbing the leather jacket she'd flung over Regina's desk. When she still hasn't responded by the time she'd shrugged it onto her shoulders, she walks over to Regina and lightly takes a hold of both of her hands. "What's going on, Regina?"

"Henry got into a fight. They're threatening to suspend him." Her chest shudders as she places her forehead to Emma's. Fingers grip tightly against her palms as she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. Emma rubs her thumbs in circles over the inside of Regina's wrist, knowing it was a sure way to calm her down.

Although her own chest is squeezing, she keeps her eyes open to check over her girlfriend. "Everything's going to be okay," she whispers, before she tips her head to place a gentle kiss over Regina's lips. The little smirk it produces has Emma momentarily forgetting the situation. "I'm sure it's a misunderstanding that we'll clear up in no time."

Regina nods her head against Emma's, taking another thirty seconds of Emma's gentle caress. When the tightness in her gut has loosened considerably she pulls away and takes a deep breath. "I hope so."

They take the bug, and no sooner they're both barging through the principles door. He's an elderly man who came across in the second curse. Not a famous fairy tale character, he had blended into the rest of the crowd until he had taken the position as principle.

"Moms!" Henry twists on the seat where he sits near the principle's desk and opposite the man. His eyes are wide and he grips the back of the seat, showing off the grazes on his knuckles. They both notice them and eye each other, before moving closer to the man who squints his eyes at the pair.

"What is the meaning of this?" Regina demands, placing one hand on the desk and the other on her hip. No matter what had happened, she knows her son and would doubt he would get into a fight without great preamble.

Emma stands behind Henry's chair, hands on the backs of his shoulders. She squeezes gently, reassuringly, and offers him a warm smile when he looks up. There is a glisten in his eyes and she can feel the tension in his body. She couldn't be mad. Not until they got the full story at least.

"Your son got into a fight, because of a disagreement. The other boy had to be sent home because his eye was too swollen for him to continue with the school day," the man says firmly, both hands coming to rest on his large stomach. Emma and Regina make swift eye contact. Emma shrugs softly, not understanding either. "We have a strict zero policy on bullying and this boy was simply stating his beliefs. It is a free county and everyone should be free to have their opinions."

"It wasn't an opinion," Henry says and slams a fist against his thigh.

"Henry," Emma warns.

"No mom. He said…" his mouth slams shut as he looks between his parents. Regina frowns and raises an eyebrow at Emma who nods, even with the clench of her stomach.

"It doesn't matter what he said," the principle says. "The matter is you were the one who reacted in an inappropriate manner."

"I would like to hear what this other boy said." Regina gives her son an encouraging smile and nods at him to continue.

"He said you and mom shouldn't be together. That's it's wrong." Henry hangs his head, biting his lip and clenches both his fists to stop him from lashing out. "He kept saying all these awful things that I know aren't true. You both love each other and I see it every day, but he wouldn't listen and I just got so mad."

Emma gulps, and tightens her grip on Henry's shoulders. She makes eye contact with the principle. Regina was taking deep calm breaths, no doubt stopping herself from conjuring up a fireball and directing it at this fool.

"An opinion?" Emma says, lifting a brow at the principle. "Our relationship is none of anyone's business."

"As I said, freedom of spe-"

"Hate speech," Regina interrupts. "That boy would not have said anything if either of us were a man, and you know damn well. Unless you agree?" she says, an air of arrogance to her tone, one eye brow arching up.

"My beliefs aren't up for debate," he says, eyes firmly on the mayor's.

Emma snorts and shakes her head. "We can't just not love each other just because you decide we shouldn't be in a relationship because our fucking genitals are the same!"

"Emma." Regina reaches over and puts a hand on her arm. Her jaw clenches, but she nods stiffly to keep the feelings buried for the moment. "As much as Henry should not have reacted the way he did, and we will be dealing with this at home," she says, giving Henry a stern look. "If the other boy doesn't receive equal treatment then I will take this over your head. And as Mayor, don't think I can't replace you before you can utter the words homophobia."

Regina is almost leaning over the desk by the time she's finished. He swallows and nods tightly. "Very well," he says and lowers his eyes, tapping on his knee. "They will both receive a week of detention."

"And I'm going to alter the curriculum to include lgbt issues. These children need educating and clearly you are not up for the job," Regina says. "If I find out there has been anymore incidents of hate which you do not deal with accordingly, then you can say goodbye to your job."

Emma smirks his way, before tapping Henry's shoulder. "C'mon kid, looks like you're leaving school early today."

Regina makes a show of reaching for Emma's hand as they walk out of his office. She breathes a sigh of relief once they're sat in the car. "If I didn't want to crush him like a bug."

"I'm sorry, moms," Henry says from the backseat. "I shouldn't have punched him, but…"

"Kid. I wish I was there to see it." She smiles at him through the mirror, causing him to chuckle and for her to receive a stern look from her girlfriend. "But…maybe next time don't punch him."

"I won't…or try not to," he says, not wanting to promise something he wasn't sure he could keep. As much as he didn't want to resort to violence, something inside him also wanted to protect his mothers.

"I'm very glad you stuck up for us Henry," Regina says, twisting in the passenger seat to look to her son. "But I raised you better than this, we both did. Those people aren't worth it."

"I know. Are you really going to add something to the curriculum?"

"Yes. I'll speak to your grandmother, because I'm sure Snow would love to help me find a way to bring these issues to light."

"My mum would love that," Emma says, keeping her eyes on the roads of Storybrooke. "Maybe we could go in and do talks or something. It might help reduce any bullying or help kids who are questioning."

"As much as I should be embarrassed about that, I love you guys," Henry says, beaming from the backseat. "And there's this girl in my year who has another crush on this girl. She told me because she knows I have two moms. She hasn't told anyone else yet, but I think it might help. Show that anyone can be lgbt."

"I think you're right," Emma says and pulls into the driveway. "And we love you too."

Regina hums from the front seat, smiling at them. "We'll make it big. That principle of yours won't know what's hit him." There's an evil grin when she twists to look at Emma, but her girlfriend only mirrors it. "I love you."

"I love you too, Regina. We'll show that son of a bitch what love really is."

"Language, Ms Swan," she says, as Henry pushes from the car. Emma only rolls her eyes and follows suit. Regina takes another second before climbing out of the bug, walking over to her family. "Maybe we should get married and invite the entire town."

"What?" Emma's eyes go wide and her feet stop moving.

"Oh my god." Henry's mouth falls open.

Regina chuckles and sways her hips as she walks past the pair. She had wanted to ask for a while, but was too scared to make a huge proposal. For some reason, this had seemed like the perfect time to let it slip. She's laughing as her heels clip into the mansion.

"Mom?"

Emma shakes her head to dispose of the shock. A smile so wide pushes on her lips and she grips Henry's hands, tenses her body and runs on the spot whilst squealing. Then she takes a deep breath and walks after her future wife. "If you want me to marry you that was not an adequate proposal," she calls, disappearing inside.

"You guys are idiots," he mumbles, entering the house to sound of his parents giggling away. So very much in love.


End file.
